


Dinner & Dancing

by Ruuger



Series: Episode tags for The Mentalist [4]
Category: The Mentalist
Genre: Episode Tag, Episode: s02e11 Rose-Colored Glasses, Gen, Season/Series 02
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-10-15
Updated: 2010-10-15
Packaged: 2017-10-12 16:55:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,065
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/127025
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ruuger/pseuds/Ruuger
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Episode tag for "Rose-Colored Glasses".</p>
            </blockquote>





	Dinner & Dancing

The last notes of "More Than Words" faded away to make way to some catchy one hit wonder that Lisbon vaguely recognised. She looked up at Jane and smiled. "Thank you for the dance."

She knew it should probably have been awkward, standing in the middle of a dance floor holding a man who was technically her subordinate, but somehow it wasn't, because - well - because it was Jane. His name had become her stock explanation for anything out of the ordinary.

"The pleasure was all mine." Jane let go of her hand and gave her the kind of a leering little smirk which in her opinion definitely counted as funny business, but she was feeling too mellow to call him out on it. And as much as she had enjoyed the dance, she wanted to get out before Jane started to get any more ideas. She turned around, dodging the drunken high school alumni as she crossed the dance floor and headed towards the exit.

They found Rigsby in the lobby, still talking to the local sheriff who had picked up Willa Brock. Lisbon nodded to him as they passed.

"No need to hurry, we'll wait outside," she said, and then added: "And you're not getting Monday off, no matter what Jane told you."

Rigsby stared after them. "Huh? What?"

Next to her, Jane let out an amused chuckle. When Lisbon turned to look at him, she noticed that he had that grin on his face that usually meant that he had done something that would eventually require damage control. Her eyes narrowed. "What are you smiling about?"

"Nothing, nothing, just enjoying the night."

She glared at him, trying to figure out what he had done this time, but as usual, his face was completely unreadable.

Once they got outside, Lisbon paused at the door. The air was cool, but not too cold, and she took a deep breath to clear her head after the oppressive heat of the crowds inside. When she looked up, she could see the sky littered with stars which in Sacramento were usually hidden by the glare of the city lights. Jane was right, it was a lovely night - the weather was beautiful, they had caught the killer, and the dancing had been nice. She couldn't even remember the last time she'd danced with someone. At her prom, maybe. The men she'd dated had never been the dancing sort.

Wanting to enjoy the moment for a little longer, instead of going straight back to the car as she'd planned, Lisbon walked to a small bench in front of the building and sat down. After a few seconds Jane followed her suit.

They weren't the only ones outside. There was a small group of people smoking a little way from the building, and in the shadows under the trees she could see a couple making out. From the looks of it, Grant Talbot had finally found his One.

She turned to Jane. "So who did you imagine?" 

"Hmm?"

"If I was imagining a mean cold-hearted boy from high school, who did you imagine you were dancing with?"

Jane gave her a wan smile and then quickly looked away; a small tell she'd come to recognise as a sign that she'd touched some painful memory. She was about to tell him to just forget about it, but then he spoke, his voice hoarse and quiet.

"My wife loved dancing. She wasn't very good at it, and neither was I, but dancing made her happy. On our last anniversary we hired a babysitter and spent the night out. We had dinner at the Toscana and then just drove around, looking for any place with a dance floor and an orchestra. When the last place kicked us out in the early hours of the morning, we drove to the Santa Monica Pier and watched the sun rise."

"I'm sorry."

"No, it's okay. It's a happy memory." He smiled. "I have those too, even if I sometimes even forget it myself."

He looked away again, his smile slowly fading as he watched the kissing couple in the shadows.

"Jason Bailey."

Jane gave her a confused look. "I'm sorry?"

"The name of the boy I had a crush on in high school. Jason Bailey." She could see his eyes light up as his curiosity got the better of him. Sometimes he was far too easy to play. "He was a year older than me, son of a member of the city council, and a star player in the football team. Obviously."

Jane laughed. "Obviously."

"I never really even spoke to him, but I used to follow him around in the hope that one day he'd realise we were meant to be together."

"Well, they do say that stalking is the ultimate expression of love. So what happened? Did you ever get your Prince Charming?"

She shook her head. "Nah. He was only into cheerleaders, so he never even noticed me. When he left for college, I had to admit my defeat and move on." She gave him a wry smile. "I ran into him again in Sacramento about ten years ago. I was with a friend who I'd known back in high school, and so we went over to talk to him, for old times sake. Long story short, by the end of the night he was so drunk he tried to grab my ass and so I punched him in the nose."

"Ah. A true fairytale ending."

"I like to think so."

They fell back into a companionable silence. After a while Lisbon noticed Rigsby standing next to the van, looking like he was trying to decide whether to come over to them or just wait by the car. She nudged Jane and stood up.

"C'mon. If we leave now, we can pick up closed case pizzas on the way before we meet Cho and Van Pelt. I think I saw a place a few miles from here."

"If I guess what instrument you played, do I get to drive?"

"Nope."

When she reached the parking lot, she slipped her hand into her pocket to get her keys, only to find it empty. She groaned and turned to look at Jane. He was standing a few steps behind her, grinning, the keys dangling from his finger.

"Tuba?"

She snatched the keys from him. "Guess again."


End file.
